A few days ago, here in the foothills of California's Central Valley, I was watering a scrawny old peach tree barely surviving a long dry summer. I was flushing out 150 ft of garden hose before filling my motorhome's fresh water tank and I wasn't paying much attention. I was about 15 feet from the tree using one of those squeeze grip sprayers when movement on one of the low branches caught my attention. The lighting wasn't good but soon I saw a tiny hummingbird had come to perch within range of the sprayer's mist. I had just determined the hummer's head was darker than the body when it flitted off the branch and went into a hover DIRECTLY UNDER the course, strong, spray. WOW! It stayed right there in the falling vail of heavy mist for 4 or 5 long seconds and then went back to the branch. As I marveled at what I just witnessed "he" preened and scrubbed his long beak on the limb. What the heck ... if "he" wants a bath I can help! I then flicked the stream above the perched bird much to it's delight. It stayed there another 4 or 5 seconds soaking up the spray before I shut off the nozzle. A couple more seconds and "he" zipped off with a buzzy sort of chatter ... a "thank you" I guess.
Awesome! I helped a hummer take a shower. Has anyone else experience anything like this? Dang! Sure wish I had a video but, alas, at least I have a vivid memory, and just as good ... this GREAT forum where I can tell you folks about it!
Mark
Awesome! I helped a hummer take a shower. Has anyone else experience anything like this? Dang! Sure wish I had a video but, alas, at least I have a vivid memory, and just as good ... this GREAT forum where I can tell you folks about it!
Mark